Bronze for Teams Korea, Germany, Iran and Russia

  Recurve MenThe Spaniards CUESTA, FERNANDEZ and GOMEZ entered the first round of elimination higher seeded (7) than their opponents from Ukraine HRACHOV, RUBAN and SERDYUK (10). The teams were tied at 52-52 after the first end, each shooting a 7 at their sixth arrow. Ukraine started the second end with two 8s, but Spain shot another 7 to close the end and trailed by one point at the half-way mark (105-106). Ukraine again scored two 8s in the third end, and again Spain finished the end on two bad arrows (8-8), letting another chance to recover and take the lead go away (158-159). Though ending the match with three 9s and three 8s only, the Olympic champion RUBAN and his teammates clinched victory "by miracle" thanks to a 5 (!) shot by their opponents at the ninteenth arrow (210-209). Another upset concerned Great Britain (6) who was kicked out prematurely by Iran (11) on the score of 216-212.   In quarterfinal Team Italy with FRANGILLI, GALIAZZO (2004 Olympic champion) and NESPOLI seemed to have the match under control after the first end, shooting five 10s and a 9 and leading by five points (59-54) against India. In the second end, while the Indians scored 59 points out of 60, their opponents had a triple 8 to clinch this end and trailed by two (111-113). The gap remained the same with one end to go at 170-168 in favour of BANERJEE, RAI and TALUKDAR. Italy then recovered and tied after 21 arrows out of 24. As one thought they were back on track, NESPOLI released a poor 3 and Italy finally lost the match 217-224. After a difficult win against Spain in the first round, Ukraine faced the No. 2 seeded team of France. The Ukrainians had the best start, taking the lead after the first end at 56-53 to never let it go through the end of the match (110-104, 163-160, and 218-213). The other qualified teams for the semifinals are Korea (1) and USA (3).   In the semifinals, the favourite Koreans IM, KIM and OH (1) suffered a bitter defeat against India (5). Leading 56-54 after six arrows, the Koreans scored a 7 in the second end. The Indians took the lead 111-109 at the half-way mark. As BANERJEE, RAI and TALUKDAR closed the third end with a 7, the match was tied at 164-164. The Indians took the lead 193-192 with three arrows to go, but the match was tied again with one arrow to go (210-210). As Team India released a final 9, Korea had a bad 7 to concede a surprising defeat (217-219). In the second semifinal, after trailing by one point after six arrows (52-53), Team USA (3) proved more consistent than Ukraine (10) and reversed the score to 110-105 at the half-way mark. ELLISON, FANCHIN and KAMISKI then maintained their lead to clinch a 214-209 win.   Not used to shooting for bronze (most of the time they would shoot for gold), Team Korea did not want to let the medal go away. Though shooting against the reigning Olympic champion's team, RUBAN, the Koreans took an early lead (56-52) that they never let go all along the match to clinch an unquestionable victory 223-209.  Recurve Women Bad start for the No. 5 seeded team Germany with a miss (!) at the sixth arrow. POSSNER, UNRUH and WINTER trailed by six points (43-49) after one end against Mexico (12) in the first round. The two teams seemed to face problems to get into the match. With a 52-point end each in the second end the gap remained in favour of the Mexicans. AVITIA, ROMAN and VALENCIA suffered a poor 3 to close the third end, offering their opponents a change to recover (149-146). They were tied with three arrows to go after a 7 by Mexico. Another 7 and an 8 at the end of the match and Mexico bowed before Germany, 198-200.   The top 5 seeded teams were all in the quarterfinal round. Whereas Korea (1), India (2) and Russia (3) had wins over Great Britain (223-212), Denmark (216-210) and Spain (207-205), Italy (4) was given a hard time by Germany (5). Though leading after the second (107-105) and the third ends (158-157), LIONETTI, TOMASI and VALEEVA opened the last end with a 6 that gave the advantage to their opponents POSSNER, UNRUH and WINTER. It was then Germany's turn to score a 6 at the twenty-first arrow and the lead was again for Italy with three arrows to go. Still in the lead before the last arrow (200-198), the Italian ladies offered victory to their opponent with another final 6. Final score: 207-206 for Germany!   In semifinal the top seeded team Korea (1) did not face any problems to get over Germany (5) in a one-way match that HAN, JUNG and KI finally won on the score of 223-200. In the second match, the No. 2 team India faced the No. 3 Russia. This match was not as close as expected. Ending the first end with a 4, the Indians DEVI, KUMARI and VERMA trailed by five points (44-49). They could never recover and kept losing points to be defeated 191-200.   The No. 2 team India would have liked to win bronze at least in the recurve women's team event. But their shooting was not good enough in the match against Germany to have a claim to better than 4th place. Though leading 54-53 after six arrows, the Indians scored a 4 at the eighth arrow to trail 103-107 at the half-way mark. Focus and faith was lost and Germany could go their way and clinch the bronze medal, 109-202.  Compound Men The compound men's team eliminations started with a world record set by France (No. 2), beating Brazil (15), 236-226. There was a close match between the No. 7 and 10 seeded teams, Italy and Netherlands. BOCCALI, GRECO and PAGNI were one point ahead after the first (59-58) and the second (117-116) ends. But the Dutch men BLEYENDAAL, DOLDERMAN and ELZINGA scored perfectly in the third end to reverse the score at 176-174. The match was tied after twentieth arrow (194-194). With one arrow to go, the Netherlands were one point ahead 222-221. As Italy scored a 10, their opponents shot a 9* (close to the 10-ring) that finally turned to be a 10 and gave victory to ELZINGA and his teammates. Team GBR (6) suffered a early, bitter defeat against Mexico (11). The two teams remained closed to one another until the last end. ALVARADO, FIERRO and RAMIREZ chose that moment to shoot a perfect final six arrows and clinch victory 231-223 against BUSBY, RIKUNENKO and WHITE.   After beating the world record in the first round, France was the favourite against the Netherlands in quarterfinal. However, the Dutch archers were the ones having the best start, taking a 1-point lead after six arrows (59-58). They even doubled their advantage at the half-way mark at 115-113. DELOCHE, GENET and PEINEAU had a burst of pride coming back to one point with five 10s and a 9 (172-273). The two teams scored three 10s and two 9s and the gap remained at one point before the last arrow. Closing the match with an 8, France could not recover, conceding a surprising defeat 228-231. In another quarterfinal match the Danes, who had easily beaten Switzerland in the previous round, faced the Mexicans, winners of Great Britain. Starting with perfect shooting DAMSBO, JOHANNESSEN and LAURSEN took a 3-point lead that they kept up to the third end (60-57, 116-113, 172-169). Despite clinching the match with a 60-point end also, ALVARADO, FIERRO and RAMIREZ could not recover completely and lost to Denmark by one point (229-230).   In the semifinals, Denmark (3) faced the Netherlands (10) for a place in the gold final. Although leading comfortably 58-54 after six arrows, the Danes saw their opponents come back to one point at the half-way mark (113-112). Seeing danger approaching, they got their act together to breathe a little at 169-166. It finally proved enough to clinch a win by 224-222. Denmark will face the favourite Americans GELLENTHIEN, WILDE and WILLET for gold on Saturday, who defeated Iran after a tight match decided in the last end (169-167 after 18 arrows and 225-219 at the end).   The bronze medal was decided between Iran and the Netherlands in compound men. After the first end, the Dutchmen led by two (55-53), but they lost it all trailing by three (105-108) at the half-way mark. With two 8s to finish the third end, the gap doubled in favour of the Iranians (166-160) who at the end easily clinched bronze 222-216.  Compound Women In the first round (1/8) the match between the No. 8 and 9 teams, Iran and Sweden, was as tight as expected. The Swedes DANIELSSON, JOHANSSON and SJOWALL took the lead after one end at 56-53. But with a 5 at their tenth arrow they found themselves behind by one point at the half-way mark (107-108). With three 10s and three 9s in the third end, Sweden recovered the lead, 164-163, with one end to go. With an 8 at their antepenultimate arrow Team Iran lost hopes to come back. ALIPOUR, HALIMIANAVVAL and MAHTAB conceded a short defeat 218-220. The No. 3 and 5 seeded teams Mexico and Great Britain were eliminated in the first round already, respectively by India and the Netherlands.   Exempt from the first round because of their top seeded rank USA's ANSCHUTZ, COLIN and VAN NATTA faced difficulties finding their marks on the field this morning. Tied up with low scores against Sweden after the first (53-53) and second (107-107) ends, they trailed by one with one end to go at 161-162. An 8 in the final end made things even harder for recovery, and though getting two 10s at their last arrows, they had to concede an early defeat by 218-219. A prestige victory for DANIELSSON, JOHANSSON and SJOWALL against the undisputed best compound women's team in the world! Team France, seeded No. 3, had to fight hard to get into the semifinals. Against India (6) CHESSE, LEBECQUE and TCHEPIKOFF trailed 108-109 at the half-way mark. They tied up the score at 165-165 with one end to go and took advantage of two 8s by HANSDAH, KAUR and YADAV in the last end to win 220-218.   After upsetting the No. 1 team in quarterfinal, Sweden was shooting against the No. 4 Russia in the semis. Maybe still shaken by their unexpected victory, the Swedes trailed 51-52 after six arrows. But they managed to regain their self-control quickly to reverse the score at 106-103. They kept a 3-point lead with one end to go and even increased it to clinch victory 219-212 and go for gold on Saturday. The second semifinal featured the No. 3 team, France, versus the No. 2, Italy. At the half-way mark, the score was already 109-103 in favour of the Frenchwoman, an advantage they would never let go to easily win 223-215.   After losing to the No. 3 seeded team in the previous round, the No. 2 Italy could still hope for the compound women's bronze medal in Porec. But LONGO, SALVIA and TONIOLI trailed 53-55 after six arrows and later 109-112 after two ends and even 165-170 with one end to go. As their opponents from Russia finished with a 54-point final end only, the Italians could have hoped for recovery. For that they needed to shoot close to perfection. With a 57-point last end, they came back but not enough. Victory and bronze medal for AVDEEVA, BALZHANOVA and the reigning individual world champion LOGINOVA (224-222).   The World Cup Stage 1 will conclude on Saturday 7 May in Porec with finals that will be shot right in the centre of the city.   Stay tuned at www.worldarchery.org!   World Archery Communication